It is not uncommon for social workers practicing in the fields of child welfare or mental health to unwittingly participate in oppressive practice with clients. This happens whenever we engage in coercive social control of the individuals we serve thus we move away from social justice, empowerment and egalitarianism and instead create an unequal balance of power (Wilson & Beresford, 2000). Oppression in social work practice can surface at multiple levels when we fail to recognize the practice implications that grow out of the complexity of the intersections of our clients’ race, gender, class, age, sexual orientation and ability among other factors (Danso, 2009).
Self-reflection is a cornerstone of anti-oppressive social work practice as it …show more content…
Ensuring that all children who are assessed as in need have the opportunity to achieve optimal development, according to their circumstances and age, is an important principle. Furthermore, since discrimination of all kinds is an everyday reality in many children’s lives, every effort must be made to ensure that agencies' responses do not reflect or reinforce that experience and indeed, should counteract it. Some vulnerable children may have been particularly disadvantaged in their access to important opportunities, such as those who have suffered multiple family disruptions or prolonged maltreatment by abuse or neglect and are subsequently looked by the local authority. Their health and educational needs will require particular attention in order to optimise their long term outcomes in young adulthood. Ensuring equality of opportunity does not mean that all children are treated the same. It does mean understanding and working sensitively and knowledgeably with …show more content…
Children are people too, and have a right to be listened to and to have their views taken into account, particularly when decisions are being made about their future. Serious consequences can arise when children are not listened to. As social workers, we need to develop skills in listening to all children. The child, therefore, must be kept in focus. It requires sensitivity to and understanding of the circumstances of families and their particular needs, for example where English is not a parent’s first language or where adults who are significant to a child are not living in the same household or where a parent is disabled or mentally ill. For a disabled parent reasonable adjustments will be needed, for example, it may be necessary to provide information to a blind parent in an alternative format such as Braille or on audio tape, or to communicate with a deaf parent using British Sign
Self-reflection is a cornerstone of anti-oppressive social work practice as it …show more content…
Ensuring that all children who are assessed as in need have the opportunity to achieve optimal development, according to their circumstances and age, is an important principle. Furthermore, since discrimination of all kinds is an everyday reality in many children’s lives, every effort must be made to ensure that agencies' responses do not reflect or reinforce that experience and indeed, should counteract it. Some vulnerable children may have been particularly disadvantaged in their access to important opportunities, such as those who have suffered multiple family disruptions or prolonged maltreatment by abuse or neglect and are subsequently looked by the local authority. Their health and educational needs will require particular attention in order to optimise their long term outcomes in young adulthood. Ensuring equality of opportunity does not mean that all children are treated the same. It does mean understanding and working sensitively and knowledgeably with …show more content…
Children are people too, and have a right to be listened to and to have their views taken into account, particularly when decisions are being made about their future. Serious consequences can arise when children are not listened to. As social workers, we need to develop skills in listening to all children. The child, therefore, must be kept in focus. It requires sensitivity to and understanding of the circumstances of families and their particular needs, for example where English is not a parent’s first language or where adults who are significant to a child are not living in the same household or where a parent is disabled or mentally ill. For a disabled parent reasonable adjustments will be needed, for example, it may be necessary to provide information to a blind parent in an alternative format such as Braille or on audio tape, or to communicate with a deaf parent using British Sign